


The Red Room

by 0reagan0



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: BAMF Natasha Romanov, Ballet, Clint Barton & Natasha Romanov Friendship, Clint Barton Is a Good Bro, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Idon'tknowwhatIamtagginganymore, Iknowthishasbeendonebeforebutwhatthehell, Natasha Romanov Feels, Natasha Romanov Is Not A Robot, Natasha Romanov Needs a Hug, Nick Fury is Not Amused, POV Natasha Romanov, Protective Clint Barton, RedRoom, SHIELD, Training, adifferentcall, hospitalfire, ohwell, stillnotoverendgame, verycliche
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:21:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24879901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/0reagan0/pseuds/0reagan0
Summary: My take on Natasha Romanoff's origin in the Red Room. This is not accurate to the comics/movies.Natalia Romanova finds herself in a Red Room dormitory at a young age, where she learns the ways of being an assassin. I originally posted this on Wattpad, but I'm posting it and editing it here.
Relationships: Clint Barton/Natasha Romanov
Kudos: 3





	1. Prologue

Nine year old Natalia woke with a start. She looked around at the shabby dormitory around her. This is the worst place in the world to be right now Natalia thought. She looked around at the girls in the beds around her, every single one of them were handcuffed to their metal cots. Natalia looked at her own wrist, noticing the pain. There was a cuff there as well. She tugged on it, hoping it would come off, it didn't. Natalia winced in pain as the cuff dug into her skin when she pulled on it, drawing the attention of Ivan Somodorov. Ivan Somodorov, or Ivan the Strange, worked for the Red Room, Russia's infamous spy school.

"I see you have woken up." Ivan said with a sneer. Natalia tugged at her wrist faster trying to get loose. "It's no use. The cuff will stay, you'll get used to it. The others have." It was true. The other girls seemed to be peacefully asleep, despite being handcuffed to their beds. Natalia hoped that her life wouldn't come to something like that, being used to being chained to her bed every night. 

Ivan reached out and touched a lock of Natalia's brown curls. "I see we have some work to do." Natalia looked around at the girls, noticing that every single lock of hair in this room except her's and Ivan's was red.

Natalia's thoughts changed to something else. Alexei! Where is he! Was he taken too?

"Where is Alexei?" she demanded. "Where is my little brother?" Ivan laughed. "I have no need for little babies here. My glorious program. We left him in your old dacha, the one that was bombed." Ivan said. " But for you, training, you will be a deadly assassin. Whether you like it or not."

Natalia pressed her face into her pillow. What could I even do if I attempted to escape? Natalia looked at the exit. It had two guards at either side of the door. Each one was carrying an assault rifle. From the looks of it if she so much as put her toe out the door, she would have a bullet in her skull. "I suggest you sleep the rest of the night, it's going to be a long day tomorrow. Just know that there are consequences for escape attempts." He said as he closed the door to the dormitory. Natalia stared at the door, adjusted her arm and laid down on the cot and drifted off to sleep.


	2. Chapter One

Natalia awoke to the usual sounds of the handcuffs being unlocked in the morning. She immediately got out of bed,made it (with difficulty, her hand was still cuffed, they weren't unlocked until the bed was made and they were standing up straight). The guard finished inspecting the girl to the right of Natalia's bed, there were some lumps in the sheets, so the guard smacked her across the face and the girl immediately smoothed out the lumps and got her hand uncuffed. The guard moved over to Natalia. He looked at the bed and noticed a very small bump in the blanket. The guard lifted up the thin blanket, and saw a small hair clip, bent in every which way. "Chto eto?!" The guard asked furiously. What is this?!

"Only a clip, I must've left in my hair last night by mistake." Natalia said as calmly as possible. Her face was stone. If she showed fear, she would be caught.

"If this clip can unlock your handcuff, there will be consequences." The guard carefully lifted the hair clip up to the lock and slid it in. Natalia's face fell, as she was counting on it not working.

"You will speak to General Somodorov for this. And trust me when I tell you this: he will not be happy."The guard said with a smirk. He grabbed Natalia by a lock of her hair and dragged her through the dormitory door and through the door of Ivan Somodorov's private office. "Sir, the girl was trying to unlock her handcuffs, to escape." The guard said with a grin. "If you're too busy, I will gladly punish her myself."

"No need, I have a punishment in mind, the others need to learn from this ..... incident." Ivan said with a grin. "Get the helicopter, load everyone."

* * *

Natalia and the other 149 participants in the Red Room were shoved onto the helicopter. A helicopter meant to fit 50.

"Feeling uncomfortable, ptnets? Don't worry about the way back, there will be much more space than before." Ivan said mischievously to Natalia.

Feeling more worried by the second Natalia sat down, and cried, she knew what was going to happen, so many of the young girls in this helicopter were going to die, she just knew it. It's going to be all my fault! If I hadn't been trying to escape, we would just be doing training, Natalia thought. The helicopter landed and the girls slowly walked out into the cold.

Natalia expected to at least see a building or two, she only saw snow.

"Your task is to be one of the first 50 participants to reach the other side of Klyuchevskaya Sopka." Natalia looked at the mountain, it had to be over a thousand feet tall. Ivan grinned when he saw the look of panic in all of the girls' faces. "I will be waiting on the other side with food, water and heat, failing to complete this task could mean death." With that, Ivan got back onto the helicopter. The helicopter took off, stranding the girls in front of one of the tallest mountains in all of the Motherland. 

It only took a second for the girls to realize what was happening, and a few of them started sprinting towards the mountain. Natalia held back.

If I were to start sprinting on the way up the mountain, I would have no energy to make it the rest of the way. She thought. The sprinters will probably need to stop for the night, while if I speed walk on the way up, it will be just enough to keep myself warm on the way up, while on the way down, I will sprint. When Natalia finished her plan, she was already behind the top 50. There were only about 25 of them left, still standing in the snow. Natalia made eye contact with the two girls closest to each other. The younger one couldn't have been more than seven years old. Natalia stared at the two girls for a moment, then bolted forward, to the foot of the mountain.

***

The top of Klyuchevskaya Sopka looked like a plague had swept through, there were bodies with no physical injury, girls who died of cold, and there were girls who died from getting hurt, and girls who died from a combination. As Natalia was crossing over the top, she spotted the two girls that she had seen earlier, only now, instead of just looking fearful, they looked cold, afraid, and near death. The two girls were huddled next to a boulder, shivering. Natalia wasn't sure what had struck her, but she felt pity on them. Besides, they might give me something in return later on. Natalia grabbed the seven year old, and threw her over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and grabbed the other little girl by the hand, and started dragging one, and carrying the other down the mountain.

The trek down the mountain was treacherous, it was steeper, freezing, and she could feel her legs trying to give way with every step she took, until, finally, Natalia's knees buckle, and she collapsed to the ground. The two little girls fell with her. The youngest of the two tumbled slightly down the mountain, while the eldest tripped and fell forward, leaving her feet planted in the snow.

Natalia hastily grabbed the youngest and crawled towards a boulder for shelter, while the eldest dragged herself over to them. 

"I'm so sorry!" Natalia cried, she was practically bawling by now. "I just can't make it. I know that our lives depend on it, but I can't keep going." Natalia closed her eyes, expecting the girls to leave her to die in the snow. 

"You can't give up now!" The eldest of the two exclaimed. " Tatiana and I have done things to this degree before, and expect to do it again." she said. " General Somodorov does not let the weak survive, and if you ever want to have a normal life, or even just live, we have to keep moving." The younger girl, Tatiana, got up and and helped Natalia to her feet. "I am Katharine (pronounced Kat-a-reen), and this is my sister Tatiana." Katharine and Tatiana started to move slowly down the mountain, while Natalia still stood by the rock. "Come on Natalia." Katharine called behind her. 

Natalia started to follow. "How do you know my name?" Natalia questioned Katharine. 

"I was awake the day that you arrived." Katharine said, when Natalia caught up to her. All three girls were shivering, and walking slowly. 

As they were approaching the bottom of the mountain, they could see the glow of the fire where General Somodorov waited for the 50 survivors. By Natalia's count, there had to be at least ten girls there already. Natalia started to full on sprint towards the camp. She needed to feel the heat of the fire around her. She was desperate. Natalia picked up her pace. Right before she reached the camp, she tripped, and fell into the snow. Natalia slowly pulled herself up, with tears in her eyes, and dragged herself towards the fire, and she didn't stop till she heard General Somodorov mutter "Welcome back, ptnets."

***

"This is what happens when you try to escape." sneered Ivan. "Luckily for you, you have been chosen to survive, into the Black Widow program. From here you will learn to kill a man with your fingernail, how paralyze someone within seconds. But, I will warn you, that the training will be more harsh and difficult. we begin tomorrow at three am, sharp." The girls lied down on their beds, each one of their arms above their heads, waiting to be cuffed. 

When the guard came around to Natalia, he leaned over and whispered into her ear, "I'll be watching you, ptnets, don't you forget it."

***

The next morning

"Potorpis, ptnets, Potorpis." Ivan grinned, "Today we have a new teacher." Ivan lead them into a room with a tube that seemed to be frozen from the inside with ice and blood. He turned a knob on the control panel, and the ice started to melt. Natalia heard the sound of deep breaths coming from the tube. A metal hand slapped onto the glass. Ivan grinned again.

"strastnoye zhelaniye

rzhavyy

semnadtsat

rassvet

pech'

nonary

dobrokachestvennyy

vozvrashcheniye domoy

odin

gruzovoy avtomobil'"

Ivan pushed a button on the control panel, part of the tube started to rise, revealing a man. The man had long dark brown hair, brown eyes, and a metal arm, by his shoulder on the metal arm, was a red star. "Soldaty." Ivan said fiercely, Soldier. The man pushed the rest of the glass away from him.

"Gotov k vypolneniyu." The Soldier said in a rough voice, Ready to comply.

"This is your new teacher, you will treat him with the utmost respect that he deserves. Anyone disrespecting the Soldier will be disciplined by me, or the Soldier will discipline you as he sees fit, trust me, he is not one for mercy." sneered Ivan. "This man has infiltrated and eliminated countless S.H.I.E.L.D agents, and is said to have killed Red Skull. I'm warning you ptnets, don't make a single mistake."

The Soldier looked straight ahead as if he had heard nothing at all, as if no one was in the room, as if he were a statue. "Gotov k vypolneniyu." he said again. his tone hadn't changed at all, it was still rough, and fierce.

Ivan looked around the group of girls, as if he was examining them. He seemed to have made up his mind, and grabbed Tatiana from the group. "Soldier." he said, " Show the weakling what happens when someone disobeys me."

Without question, the Soldier grabbed Tatiana and pulled her over to him. He held her still with one hand, with the other, he slinked it over to her mouth, and brutally closed it. With the hand that was holding her, he clamped her nose shut. The Soldier shoved Tatiana against the ground. She was barely conscious now. With the Soldier's metal arm, he started punching Tatiana's ribs. All through this, you could hear Tatiana's cries, and see her thrashing about on the floor, trying desprate for escape.

"Finish the job." Ivan said, eyeing Katharine and Natalia. Ivan handed the Soldier a knife.

The Soldier grabbed the knife and struck Tatiana in the chest, and dropped her on the ground, a brutal death.

Natalia looked at the Soldier in horror, the Soldier looked at her with sadness, but only for a second. 

"Soldier. Teach the children to do that, once they know, let them practice." Ivan said. 

***

The Soldier left the room and started walking down the hall, the participants stared after him. Ivan pulled out his knife.

"Ptnets, I suggest that you follow him, or there will be more blood on this floor." Ivan threatened.

The participants scurried after the Soldier, not wanting to get cut. The soldier went into another room, only this one filled with mannequins.

"Take one and follow my lead, don't fail, or you won't stand a chance when you practice on each other in twenty minutes time." The Soldier said, " Each of you will have to kill one person. This is a kill or be killed drill." The Soldier paused "Now watch closely, I will not repeat myself. After I have finished showing you how, I will give you exactly two minutes to practice on a mannequin. After that, you may already know what will happen" The Soldier announced, " Hold the mannequin by the shoulder firmly, then grab the head. Position one hand so it encloses there mouth and nose, when you here them trying to gasp for breath, that is when you slam them onto the floor. THen with all of your might, you punch them in their ribs. If you do not have a knife, then keep doing this while they suffucate. If you do have a knife, then this is when you stab them."

The participants grabbed their mannequins and copied the steps. Natalia seemed to master this skill easily, and stopped. She stared at the Soldier, seeing the smallest bit of human left in him, in his eyes. This is what the General wants us to be.

"You may begin, practice!" The Soldier announced. Nobody moved. The Soldier seemed to be getting agitated. Natalia was getting nervous, everyone was getting nervous. But no one even attempted to use this skill on any one.

Suddenly, Natalia felt the coolness of metal on her arm, she looked behind her, and saw the Soldier, moving his other arm to grab her shoulders. Scared, Natalia didn't move, when she got a hold of herself, she did what anyone would try to do, escape.

Natalia tried to run, but the Soldier's grip was too strong. He grabbed her head with his metal hand.

"Either one of you use your new skill, or I will kill her myself, and trust me, It will be more painful than if one of you killed her." The Soldier shouted. There was a few seconds of silence, Natalia was preparing herself to die, she knew no one would kill someone else to save her, besides, there was no way that she would survive living here for much longer, and there was no chance of escape. No, Natalia, these will be the final moments of your life do you really want to die thinking about how most of these people will not survive here? No, think about something happy, Alexei, think about Alexei. Alexei, a happy baby! Natalia closed her eyes, and prepared herself.

Natalia heard a thud on the floor, she looked up. Natalia saw Katharine, she had blood on her hands, and a dead body in front of her. Katharine looked at Natalia, with her eyes wet. The Soldier dropped Natalia on the floor. She quickly got up and ran over to Katharine, but she didn't dare say anything to her, Natalia was afraid of what would happen if she interrupted the Soldier, she couldn't risk it.

As soon as Natalia was in the crowd, she grabbed a little girl, the girl couldn't have been more than 11 years old. Natalia grabbed the little girl's shoulder, then her head, and Natalia whispered "I'm sorry." into the little girl's ear, then began slam the girls head onto the cement. The girl yelped in pain, making Natalia's eyes water. She did it again, this time the girl's head began to bleed. Natalia grabbed a bit of chipped cement, and jabbed it into her injury, the girl fell limp, and stopped struggling. Natalia felt for a pulse, but felt none. She dropped the body on the ground, and looked at the girl's eyes. Natalia saw fear. Not hatred, or sadness, but fear. This isn't as bad as I thought. Maybe I can survive this. Wait! No! What am I thinking?! I don't want people to be afraid of me! I don't want to be a killer! But what choice do I have? I've already killed two little girls! Stop it!Right now. What you need to think about is surviving.

Natalia felt a hand slip onto her shoulder. She grabbed the hand and ripped it back, she heard a crack, the girl's hand was likely broken, leaving her vulnerable. She's going to die soon. Natalia thought. A minute later, Natalia heard the thud of the last body hitting the ground. The Soldier looked around at the participants and the bodies, and left the room.

"Sledit'!" He said. The participants followed the Soldier back to the dormitory.


	3. Chapter 3

The girls laid down on their cots. Natalia, forgot to lay her hand above her head for it to be cuffed, the guard noticed as he was coming around. The guard grabbed a knife from his sheath. He slashed it across her lower arm. The blood flowed from it. Natalia winced, but was careful not to show it, out of fear of being slashed again. The guard grabbed the bleeding arm, and cuffed it to the cot. Natalia put pressure on the wound, then attempted to sleep.

***

The following morning, Natalia woke early, to the sound of crying. She looked around the room, and saw the Soldier crying. She sat up and looked at him. The Soldier started to walk over. Natalia started to tense up, regretting her decision to sit up. When he got over to her cot, he didn't seem angry at all, but still sad. He wasn't acting like the murderer that he was earlier that day.

"Please! Don't let them do it to me again, Please!" He said.

"Do what?"

"I never meant to hurt anybody. Please!" He put his hands on his face, and cried some more. " I don't know where I am, or if Steve was alive, please help me!" The Soldier was quiet for a moment. Natalia was about to say something comforting, but what could a person in this place say that'll be comforting? Besides, he had killed her friend.

The doorknob of the dormitory jiggled. Natalia heard this, and laid down quickly, and pretended to be asleep. Ivan walked through the door. He looked at the Soldier, and saw him crying.

"Soldier!" Ivan said, obviously wanting the Soldier to turn around, but he didn't. Ivan hastily walked over to the cot. He looked at the Soldier's face. He repeated the words that he had said the day before.

"Zehelanniye

rzhavyy

semnadtsat

rassvet

pech'

devyat

abroserdechnyy

vozvrashcheniye domoy

odin

gruzovoy avtomobil'"

The Soldier stopped crying immediately and turned to face Ivan. Any emotion that the Soldier had a moment before was gone. 

"Gotov k vyplneni." The Soldier responded, his voice almost sounding robot like. Natalia opened one eye to see what was happening in front of her cot. Ivan noticed. He walked over to her head, uncuffed her wrist. "GET UP!" He yelled at her. Natalia immediately got up and faced him. Ivan looked at the Soldier, and said, " I think this one needs to learn how to keep her nose in her own business." The Soldier looked at her, then grabbed Natalia's arm.

"You know the solution to that, don't you, Soldier." Ivan said. The Soldier did a short nod, and dragged Natalia out of the room.

***

They entered the room that they were in the day before.

"Stand there." The Soldier pointed to a square painted on the floor, Natalia stood in it. "I think you will learn from this." The Soldier 

"There won't be a single word of this to any of the others, will there?" 

"No, sir."

"Good. Now be quiet, I will escort you back to the dormitory." The Soldier grabbed Natalia's arm, and took her to the door of the dormitory. THe guard took her to the cot, and cuffed her hand again. 

One hour later, Natalia awoke again to the usual sounds, handcuffs clanging against the cots, as the were being uncuffed. Natalia got up and made her bed. She got uncuffed by the guard, with no problems. 

"Morning, ptenets," Yelled Ivan as he walked into the dormitory. "Today we will focus on assault rifles, and how to take a life with one." Ivan grinned.The girls followed him down the stairs into the training room. "Assemble it, then go into the next room."

Ivan moved around the room, but saw Katharine struggling. Once they finished, Ivan yelled, "Again!". This process went on until it only took a few minutes to assemble one. The girls followed Ivan into the next room, which consisted of one mannequin per girl, each mannequin with a paper target on its chest. "Shoot the mannequin on the target, then do it again."

Natalia grabbed the Glock that was placed in front of her. She readied the shot, then pulled the trigger. She missed. Natalia readied it again, pulled the trigger directly on target.

The captives of the Red Room did this same exercise every day for the next two weeks. Everyday, Natalia seemed to be getting not only better but faster. By the end of those two weeks, Natalia could assemble the assault rifle in 0.5 seconds, shoot the target directly in the center every time, no matter the angle.

Rufina on the other hand seemed to be getting worse every day. It seemed that little Rufina's fate had sealed itself, and everyone seemed to know it except for Natalia.

***

"Follow me, little Natalia." Ivan said, grabbing her arm, and dragging her down the hall, into another room. Natalia saw a mannequin, this time it appeared to be alive. She lifted her Glock, and aimed. The bullet hit the target, and the mannequin in the chest. Only this time, instead of the usual shake of the mannequin, there was a cry of agony, and blood coming from the bullet wound. Young Natalia had just committed her first kill in the name of the Red Room, that was not one of her peers. Natalia looked wide eyed at Ivan.

"Tranquilize her. She is ready for the next stage of training." Ivan yelled at the guard. The guard at the door grabbed an injector and loaded it with something. The guard aimed his gun at Natalia and shot. She flinched, but started to run towards the door, but she only made it a few steps before collapsing onto the floor in a fetal position.

Natalia awoke inside what appeared to be a hospital. It had another man, Ivan, and the soldier in it's contents, along with an operating table, medical tools, and a needle. When Natalia saw Ivan, she knew that this was no hospital, but the Red Room, it seemed that there was no escape from this place, this hell.

"This one is ready." Ivan said. "Do not perform the graduation ceremony, but mark her, so we know not to eliminate her just yet." 

"I suggest a branding." said the man.

"Yes, that's precisely what I meant."

"Will you allow pain medication, or will she have to bear through it."

"bear through it. Knock her out also."

The man grabbed Natalia's mouth, and stuck a shot into her vein. She started to feel dizzy, as if she could no longer support herself, she fell onto the ground, unconscious.

*** 

When Natalia awoke, she felt a burning pain behind her left ear. When she sat up, and looked around the dormitory, she only saw ten girls, including herself. Natalia looked for Ivan. He wasn't anywhere in sight. Natalia looked around the room one last time, looking for Ivan, but saw the Soldier appear in the dormitory. He moved toward Natalia's cot. She , of course, pretended to be asleep. The Soldier knelt down next to Natalia, and whispered into her ear, "Come with me, I'm leaving this place, I can't stand living here, killing young girls, killing anyone,"

"what about Katharine?"

"She wasn't branded"

"Why can't we take her also?"

"We can't. Do you see her in this dormitory? I don't. That means she wasn't branded. She was probably let got. We can come back for her, as soon as we are safe, and healthy."

"Okay."

"But, we need to leave now"

Natalia quickly got out of her bed, and quickly followed, she walked through the dormitory doors, out of the Red Room facility, and into the icy night air. Natalia heard someone's feet crunching in the snow.

"Natalia, run!" The Soldier said, pushing her along as her along as they ran. The Soldier picked her up and carried her like a sack over his shoulder, as Natalia guessed, so they could run faster.

***  
A Few Hours Later

The Soldier put Natalia down on a rock. "What was that about?" Natalia asked.

"I don't kill people willingly, I just want you to know that," The Soldier said, "My name was James. My family had died, and I had to look after this scrawny little kid named Steve, he would call me Bucky, we did everything together, but I was drafted into the War, and he had asthma. But, they took him anyway. I was captured, and they did something to me, I'm not entirely sure what, but I black out, and when I awake,there is blood on my hands, and it's never mine." James looked at his feet, when he looked up, Natalia saw a human, not a murderer, or a monster, but a human, slightly depressed, but a human nonetheless. "Let's rest here for the night." He said. Natalia laid down on the rock, and went to sleep.

That night, Natalia was having a hard time falling asleep, she thought she kept hearing footsteps. After a few hours, she did fall asleep.

While Natalia was asleep, she kept having nightmares.

"How could you?!" Dream Katharine said. "How could you leave us here to die, Tatiana is dead, now I am too."

"I'm Sorry, I couldn't help." Natalia said, "I couldn't"

"Yes you could have. You could have taken us with you and the Soldier!" She said. Katharine started backing away, and glaring at Natalia.

"Don't Leave, KATHARINE, DON'T LEAVE ME WITH HIM." Natalia yelled after her. She felt a gloved hand covered her mouth, and Natalia jolted awake. Natalia looked at her attacker, it was one of the Red Room guards. He had an injector in his hand, and stuck it into her arm. She saw James's terrified face, and heard his voice say,"Stop! Don't touch her!" before she blacked out.

***

Five Months Later

"What brings you to the Bolshoi?" The interviewer asked.

"I was brought up as one of the twenty-eight young ballerinas with a company called the Red Room. The warmth of my parents love, and the glory of the Soviet Empire made up for..." Natalia started to say, she rubbed her head,wincing." Made up for, " Natalia tried again.

"Take your time. Would you mind telling me what happened to your head, on your resume, it says that you have a head injury." The interviewer said.

"When I was fifteen, I was practicing for a big performance, when I fell from the stage, and hit my head really hard, I don't have much memory from my years before that." Natalia said. She rubbed her head again, only to experience unfathomable pain, Natalia winced in agony, her head started to spin.

"Are you okay, should I call the nurse?" the interviewer asked.

***

"Are you ready for practice?" a young girl said. She had short curly hair, and was dressed in a ballet outfit.

"Come along, ptnets." Said a tall bearded man. He had a spike tattoo around his neck, and had a gruff voice. " I don't have all day."

Natalia's memory flashed, and she saw herself, about the age of twelve, shooting a man, the gruff looking man was speaking to what looked like a guard, he was saying, " This one is ready."

***

When Natalia awoke, she was in a dressing room, in a tutu, and preparing for a performance of The Pharaoh's Daughter. But, all she could think about was the U.S representative in the crowd, she felt anger at him, with no reason whatsoever, she didn't know a thing about him, but Natalia felt that he needed to die. She finished putting on makeup, and walked onto the stage. She felt the pistol strapped to her thigh as she walked. She ignored it, not wanting to be discovered.

She began to dance. First Position. Open Fourth, keep toes pointed. Closed Fourth position. Plie, Fifth Position. Repeat. Again and Again. Bow to the crowd, then gather flowers. Wait for them to clap. She gracefully ran off the stage, and waited for the drum, that is when she'll shoot, 30 seconds left.

Natalia heard the high C of the flute, and shot the pistol in time with the drum. She ran silently into the night where there was a car waiting for her. This was all instinct now. She got into the car. There was something familiar about the people in the car, but before she could tell, one of the men in the car, the one with the neck tattoo, shoot something into her arm vein, and she collapsed onto the floor.

***

Natalia woke up in the Red Room dormitory. She is sixteen now. and hasn't seen James since that time when she was twelve. It's been four years. But, she has been on missions. There are only 6 girls left in the program, and no one will be eliminated for a while. She doesn't mind killing anymore, after all, she's been doing it since she was 10.

"Natalia, we need you to do another mission." Ivan said, he now had some respect for her, but he still beat her frequently.

"Can't I take a break," whined Natalia.

"No, and I will teach you to whine like that, haven't I raised you better than that, you mewling quim?!" yelled Ivan. Ivan grabbed Natalia by the wrist, and practically dragged her to the bathroom. He took a handcuff out from his belt and cuffed her to the pipe under the sink. Natalia was about to struggle, but remembered what happened to the girls from the program that struggled. They were killed. Ivan saw the face Natalia made, because she was about to struggle. "Struggling, are you?" Ivan asked slyly. Ivan took dagger from the sheath of his belt. He held Natalia's arm out still. he drew the knife, and slashed it across the top of her arm. "Struggling is only for the weak, and lazy fat americans. You really should be one."

Blood poured from the cut, but Ivan took no notice. He slashed again, the cut now forming an x, almost like an hourglass. Natalia's screams filled the air, they were loud, and in agony. That is why Ivan does this in the bathroom. Natalia thought. Better acoustics. So the other girls can hear my screams.

The girls in the dormitory winced with every one of Natalia's screams. Ivan walked out of the bathroom, but left Natalia cuffed to the pipe still. "That is what happens when you complain, ptnets." Ivan said. He entered the dormitory, and gave a quick glare to the other girls. But they pretend to take no notice, considering what would happen if they spoke up.

Natalia's arm seared with pain. She daren't scream, out of fear of being cut again. She wasn't removed from that bathroom for five days.

***

THREE WEEKS LATER

"Natalia there is a mission for you," Ivan said quickly.

"What is the mark," Natalia said, grabbing the pistol that was hung on the wall.

"British Ambassador."

"Sir, if I may, where?"

"The Embassy of the Russian Federation, London."

"Got it."

"Use the Glock for this one." Sneered Ivan, "We don't want to shoot to wound, do we?."

"No, sir." Natalia said.

Natalia put the pistol on the shelf, and picked up the Glock. The Glock had always been her favorite out of all the guns, it was easiest to aim, but could tear through human flesh like scissors could tear through paper. Natalia tucked the Glock into the waistband of her pants, and walked over towards the shelf on the other side of the room, and grabbed two grenades. She tucked one into a coat pocket, and the other into a handbag. Both grenades could go through metal detectors, unnoticed, and couldn't be found unless you were Natalia Romanova, which is only about 1 in three billion, so Natalia didn't feel scared at all. She has trained for this, she has been preparing for missions such as this one for seven years of her life, guns, grenades, and corpses was the only life she knew.

"Who do you want me to be?" Natalia asked Ivan.

"You are Yelena Belova, a Russian ambassador, and you don't speak much English, mostly Russian."

Natalia nodded, and strapped a dagger to her thigh. She grabbed the costume for the part, and started to change her pants to a pencil skirt, her tank top to a blouse, and put brown contact lenses into her eyes. Natalia placed strappy beige pumps onto her feet, and went to the bathroom to apply the makeup and wig. Ten minutes later, she was no longer Natalia Romanova, but she was Yelena Belova, the Russian ambassador, visiting Great Britain on political matters.

Natalia followed a Red Room guard while two tailed them down the hall, and to the helicopter. The helicopter would land in a small wood, and Yelena and the armed guards would walk to the Embassy.

The helicopter buzzed over head. Sixteen year old Natalia was about to kill a british ambassador, as one of the key steps for Ivan to influence the government of the U.K.

The helicopter started to gradually descended as Natalia sat up straight, and ignored the weapons on her leg, and prepared to be Yelena Belova for the next month or longer.

Natalia got out of the helicopter, and walked out of the forest, and into London. She headed towards the Embassy of the Russian Federation of London. Natalia entered the building, and headed for the office of Yelena Belova. Who Natalia assumed was likely kidnapped and killed by the Red Room. She heard the click of her heels with every step she took, people were looking at her. Act Natural. Natalia didn't look at the people, instead, she walked up to the secretary, and said with a thick Russian accent, "What are my appointments for today?"

"You have a dinner appointment with the British ambassador, set for 6:30 pm."

Natalia nodded, and went back into her office, and closed the door. Considering the ambassador's height and weight, which is about 6" and his weight is about 180 pounds, to take him out, hand in hand, it would take about .756 seconds. Also considering the fact that he has zero self defense skills, it will be a simple flick of the wrist suffocation. Another thing to consider is that I will need to extract information from him before I can take him out. I will likely need to seduce him, find weaknesses, strengths, and all of his connections to the Queen. Once he is taken out, I have to debrief, then come back one of the Red Room guards, or executives, and go on to the second step of the plan.

BANG!

Someone was at the door. Natalia got up from her desk, then opened the door. There was a man there. He was tall, slightly overweight, and had brown hair. "Hello, I'm Ambassador Lance, I am the British ambassador. I understand that we will be going to dinner later this evening to discuss the political ground that the U.K and the Soviet Union are currently on?"

Natalia looked at him blankly.

"You are Yelena Belova, correct?"

"Извините, но я не говорю по английски" Natalia said.

"Margaret, can I get a translator in here." Bryan said to the secretary.

"Of course Mr. Lance." Margaret replied. A few minutes of awkward gestures later, a translator walked into the office.

"Can you ask Ms. Belova to repeat what she just said?" Mr. Lance asked the translator. After a few seconds conversation with Natalia, the translator told Mr. Lance,

"She apologizes for not knowing English that well, and that she looks forward to your dinner later this evening."

"Could you tell her that I will send a car to pick her up." Mr. Lance said. He smiled at Yelena, and left the room.

A few hours later, Yelena entered a black cadillac wearing a black strapless evening dress, with her dark brown hair spread around her shoulders with a small braid in back.

"You look lovely tonight, Yelena." Ambassador Lance said. He was obviously grinning. " I want you to know that this isn't completely on political matters, more than one topic may be discussed throughout this meeting." It was as if he wanted to be seduced.

Somewhat pervish, easily seduced, will probably trade secrets for physical affection. Yelena thought. This is almost too easy.

"I'm okay with that," she said, elongating syllables, and leans forward. "Tell me about your relationship with the Queen." Yelena smiles at him. Lance is obviously staring at Yelena's body, a sign to Yelena that her tactics are working.

" We're very close. I am a good friend of Prince Phillip, I knew him before his marriage to the Queen Elizabeth." Lance scoots closer to Yelena. She allows him.

"Excuse me, Sir?" Yelena says to the driver. "Could you turn down that next alley, there's something I need to show the Ambassador."

"Of course, ma'am."

The car turns down the alley. Lance and Yelena get out of the car. Yelena starts to remove the Glock from her hand bag. "Did you really think it would be that easy to take out a government official?" Lance says, as he grabs Yelena's wrist, and pushes her against the wall. "I mean, all of us who were actually trained were taught the basics to handling the enemy."


	4. Chapter 4

Lance pulls out a knife and places it next to Yelena's throat.

"Who are you?" He demands.

"Yelena Belova" Yelena does her best to stay calm. Remember your training. If Lance finds out anything from you, you'll be killed anyway.

"You and I both know that that isn't true." Lance presses the knife closer, so close that it was touching her skin. Yelena's face is stone, and says nothing. She reaches for the tracker on the inside seam of her jacket. Lance continues to question her, without success. 

Minutes later, the Red Room guards arrive, and Lance is taken from the wall. The guards hold Lance against the wall. Yelena readys her Glock. She aims.

"What are you waiting for?!" The guard yells at Yelena. She holds the Glock steady in her hands, but she cannot bring herself to pull the trigger. "You quim!"

The guard yells at the other man holding Lance.

"Come here, girl!" The second guard yells at Yelena. She walks over to him, but with haste, for Yelena knows what happens when you fail a guard, or worse, disappointed one. The guard raises his hand and smacks Yelena across the face. The guard picks her up and throws her over the shoulder. The first guard does the same to Lance.

The guards take them into two different cars. One guard for Yelena, which will probably go to the Embassy of the Russian Federation, London. Another guard for Bryan Lance, which will probably heading towards a Red Room "elimination room."

The car pulls up to a huge house, borderline mansion. The guard parks, and yanks Yelena out of the car. He leads her into the house, only to find that Ivan is waiting for her inside.

"Welcome back, little Natalia." Ivan said, in his usual growl. Ivan now turns to the guard. "Was our little bird successful?"

"On the contrary, no." The guard grinned. " In fact, guard 805 is taking care of the ambassador as we speak." Ivan frowned.

"I believe that it is time we put more emphasis on shoot to kill." Ivan growled angrily. " Take her to my private office, and take the electrodes with you."

The guard dragged Natalia up the stairs, and into an enormous room. Inside the room was a huge desk with a giant leather chair behind it. In the center was a circular rug with the letters IVS, Ivan Vladimirovitch Somodorov. On the right side of the room was a small wooden chair with hand and foot cuffs attached.

Natalia knew what was going to happen. It had happened to her all to many times. The reprograming chair. Once it starts up, all of your recent memories fade from your mind, in a very excruciating way.

"I have a new mark for you" Ivan said, he motioned to the chair with the outreach of an arm. "Dreykov, the treasurer for the Russian Federation, has cut the funds for our glorious program, claiming that our methods were pointless and ineffective. His daughter is in the Russian Children's Hospital, Moscow." Ivan looked down onto Natalia. He didn't look away until she made eye contact. "I want you to leave no survivors. And try to make it seem like an accident." Natalia stared at Ivan. "If you do not succeed within 48 hours, I assure you that you will be dead within 49." Natalia sat in the chair.

***

"Laura. You are needed in room 209." Natalia stared blankly at the head nurse. "Do you value this job or not?! Laura, you're needed in room 209!"

Remember Natalia, you are Laura for now. Natalia moved towards the stairwell. She entered room 209, a little girl, who went by the name of Taya, was in need of something sweet.

Natalia made conversation with the child, then left, not bothering to ask what she needed. Natalia made her way out of the room, and to the emergency kit, then got what she needed. Natalia then made her way to the kitchen. She was looking around for some oil when the head nurse entered the room.

"Laura, what are you doing?" She asked. Natalia looked at the nurse.

"Little Taya requested some oil for an art project." Natalia said, articulating every syllable. "I'm not sure what she is making though." The nurse slowly nodded, suspicous of Natalia.

When the nurse finally spoke, she said, " I see, these children keep getting wilder ideas through their boredom." The nurse grabbed what she needed and left the kitchen. Natalia waited a few seconds before leaving the kitchen as well. She took down the smoke and fire alarms before leaving. 

Natalia rushed outside the building, locking the doors and windows as she left. Natalia removed the cap of the bottle of oil, and doused part of the wooden siding of the hospital. Natalia retrieved the match she had gotten from the emergency kit from her scrubs pocket, and struck the match. It started to burn in her fingers.

Natalia hesitated. She valued her life, but she was sure that the people inside the hospital valued their own lives as well. Natalia rid herself of these thoughts, and placed the match against the oil, and it set ablaze immedietly. The flame started to engulf the building. Natalia took a step back from the building. The fire had reached the its first victim. Natalia could practically feel the person being burnt alive. The fire was spreading more rapidly, and Natalia could hear it reaching the rooms, and the screams of the children. She backed away. 

Natalia ran from the firey building.

***

Natalia ran, knowing that the Red Room would not be onto her for at least ten hours. She ran, knowing that what she had done cost the lives of others, including sick children. Natalia ran, knowing that she would cause grief for many parents, siblings, friends, relatives, and much of Russia. She ran, knowing that by the time the Moscow Fire Department found out about the fire, it would be too late. Natalia ran knowing that she had caused a tragedy. 

***

Lance had escaped the Red Room guards easily. He had simply waited until only one guard was on him in the car, then escaped from there. Lance immediately headed for the American Embassy of London. 

"Agent Barton." Lance (Barton) looked up at an agent, she was Maria Hill, right hand to the Director. "Director Fury would like you to debrief with him." 

"Tell him that I will after I take a nap."

"The Director would like a word with you now." Agent Hill said sternly.

When Agent Barton entered the Director's office, the first thing he noticed was how pissed off Director Fury looked. 

"Now how is it that my best agent let an assassin go because she batted her eyelashes at you?" Fury practically yelled. Barton was speechless. "I need you to go after her again. Get your file of leads from Agent Hill." 

***

Natalia ran away from the hospital, and towards Uglich. Here, Natalia checked herself into a small motel.

Natalia tried to stay focused, and come up with a plan, but all she could think about was everyone she had killed. Dreycov's daughter, an American Ambassador, little girls of the Red Room, the prisoners that were brought for target practice, and more recently, the dozens of lives she claimed in the hospital fire.

Every sound that she heard in the motel room reminded her of the Red Room. The people walking outside, the beep of the coffee maker, the sound of the fountain in the court yard. Natalia felt like there was no escape, like there was no way to seperate from her recent past.

***

"Agent Barton," said Agent Hill, " I have your file here, your little Russian friend was last seen near a children's hospital in Moscow."

"Well I guess I'm going to Moscow."


	5. Chapter 5

Natalia picked up the knife that she had found in the kitchen of her motel room. It's not like I have family or anyone who would miss me. Natalia thought. She brought the knife to her wrist and slowly pressed the blade down. A small drop of blood pearled on her wrist. It grew as she pressed the knife down, she dragged it down her arm, towards her elbow. 

Tears streamed from her eyes, but not from pain. She was taught not to weep from pain. Natalia's thoughts returned to the pain she had caused so many people, fueling herself with anger towards herself. She removed the blade and started again to cut, starting at just below the wrist, and pulling the blade towards her elbow. 

*Knock*

*knock*

*Knock*

"Housekeeping" The male housekeeper waited a moment before knocking again.

"Please come back later" Natalia yelled out. She continued to cut her arm. 

A moment later, Agent Barton busted down the door, and yelled "FREEZE!"

***

Agent Barton looked at the girl in the room. She had the same face as the Russia he had met in London. Except, this girl had red hair, and emerald green eyes. Barton immedietly dropped his attack position when he saw what she was doing to herself. Barton didn't see the defiant assassin he had seen in London. Barton saw someone who needed help desperately, this girl was obviously not at peace with herself.

***

Natalia looked at the man, and saw his gun. She didn't register his face, so she assumed it was a Red Room guard that came for her. Bozhe Moy. She thought. Natalia ripped the knife from her arm, and ran towards the kitchen, and to the open window. She jumped through it, and ran frantically through the parking lot. She didn't get far though. 

Agent Barton shot and arrow into her foot. Natalia tripped for a moment, but kept running through the pain. She was considerably slower now, and Barton caught up to her. He grabbed Natalia's shoulder, forcing her to stop running. 

Natalia slammed her foot into his knee cap, making him loosen his grip on her, she forced him to the ground.

"Tell Ivan that I am never coming back to him." Natalia told Barton. 

"Who the hell is Ivan?!" Barton yelled at her. Natalia slammed her fist onto Barton's head, and knocked him out

***

When Barton came to, Natalia was gone. Instead of heading after her, Barton decided to go back to the Triskelion. He needed to talk to Director Fury.

***

"Barton, why is it that you are here, and not tracking down the assassin?" Fury demanded. 

"Sir, with all do respect, I don't think she was working on her own free will, also, she is basically a teenager, a teenager who needs help." Barton said.

"Barton, you do realize, that a few months ago, you were a teenager yourself?" Fury said dully.

"Sir, this girl needs our help." Barton said, sounding worried. "When I found her, she was cutting her arm with a knife while crying!" 

"If you think she isn't a murderer, then prove it." Fury snapped. "If you can bring her here, and have her plead her case, then do it. But if this doesn't happen soon, she will remain a fugitive, Russia wants her dead."

***

Natalia left Russia, and headed to the Ukraine. She had caught word that Ivan and the Red Room were in Russia.

Natalia entered a sleezy looking bar, and ordered a gin and tonic. The bartender didn't check for an ID. As Natalia was sipping her drink, the bartender slipped her a napkin. The napkin had a note on it. It said, Meet me in the back. 

The bartender lifted the counter and motioned for Natalia to follow. She got up and headed to the back room of the bar.

***

"Who are you, and what do you want from me?!" Natalia demanded. When she entered the back room, the man she had encountered in both London and in Russia was there. "I know for a fact that you aren't a British ambassador." Natalia smirked. "And those of us who were actually trained know when you can hear an American accent slipping through a British one."

Barton felt his face turn the color of grapefruit. 

"So you were trained after all." Barton muttered under his breath.

"Who are you, and what do you want from me?!" Natalia said slightly louder. Barton was slightly intimidated by this girl. She was no more than 18 years old, and while he was 20, he was still intimidated. 

"Funny, I thought you would've figured that out by now." Barton smirked at Natalia. 

"Stop with the games, you sick bastard!" Natalia slammed her fist on an endtable. "I can give a personal guarantee that that arm of yours will be in a position that no arm should be in if you don't tell who you're working for and what you want from me." Barton eyed her suspiciously. He could tell that she was capable of this feat, but he wanted to test her some more.

"I'm Agent Clinton Lance, I work for the CIA." Barton had to bite his tounge to keep from laughing. He was about to continue about his imaginary wife Kathryn, and their quintuplets, when he felt something around his neck, and pulled to the ground. Natalia had swung him to the ground with her thighs. She quickly got up, and grabbed his arm.

"This is my final warning, Agent." Natalia tightened her grip on his arm.

"Fine, fine." Barton sighed. " I am Agent Clinton Barton, I work for SHIELD, which is Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforce-" Natalia cut him off with a punch across his cheek. 

"I'm not an idiot!" Natalia was exasperated. "Tell me what SHIELD wants from me!"

"They want you!" Barton yelled back at her. "They want you imprisoned. Now would you please stop trying to hurt and intimidate me, because if it weren't for my sorry ass, you would be in a SHIELD holding facility right now. Don't even think for a moment that I didn't see what you were doing to yourself in Russia. I know that you didn't do what you did on your own free will." Barton sighed. "I'm trying to help you, don't you want to have a normal life, don't you want to have a chance to live?"

Natalia froze. Was this guy trying to help me? Does he pity me? If he does, then he thinks I am weak. He'll try to take advantage of me. Natalia twisted Barton's elbow, and he winced in pain. Natalia ran from the bar, looking for shelter. She couldn't let SHIELD get to her. If they did, they would try to use her as the Red Room had used her before.

***

Natalia had found an abandoned warehouse. she sat in the middle, and curled herself into a fetal position. Although she looked peaceful, the hand she was on top of had it's fingers curled around a Glock, while the other was being used as a makeshift pillow. 

***

Natalia left Russia, and headed to the Ukraine. She had caught word that Ivan and the Red Room were in Russia.

Natalia entered a sleezy looking bar, and ordered a gin and tonic. The bartender didn't check for an ID. As Natalia was sipping her drink, the bartender slipped her a napkin. The napkin had a note on it. It said, Meet me in the back. 

The bartender lifted the counter and motioned for Natalia to follow. She got up and headed to the back room of the bar.

***

"Who are you, and what do you want from me?!" Natalia demanded. When she entered the back room, the man she had encountered in both London and in Russia was there. "I know for a fact that you aren't a British ambassador." Natalia smirked. "And those of us who were actually trained know when you can hear an American accent slipping through a British one."

Barton felt his face turn the color of grapefruit. 

"So you were trained after all." Barton muttered under his breath.

"Who are you, and what do you want from me?!" Natalia said slightly louder. Barton was slightly intimidated by this girl. She was no more than 18 years old, and while he was 20, he was still intimidated. 

"Funny, I thought you would've figured that out by now." Barton smirked at Natalia. 

"Stop with the games, you sick bastard!" Natalia slammed her fist on an endtable. "I can give a personal guarantee that that arm of yours will be in a position that no arm should be in if you don't tell who you're working for and what you want from me." Barton eyed her suspiciously. He could tell that she was capable of this feat, but he wanted to test her some more.

"I'm Agent Clinton Lance, I work for the CIA." Barton had to bite his tounge to keep from laughing. He was about to continue about his imaginary wife Kathryn, and their quintuplets, when he felt something around his neck, and pulled to the ground. Natalia had swung him to the ground with her thighs. She quickly got up, and grabbed his arm.

"This is my final warning, Agent." Natalia tightened her grip on his arm.

"Fine, fine." Barton sighed. " I am Agent Clinton Barton, I work for SHIELD, which is Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforce-" Natalia cut him off with a punch across his cheek. 

"I'm not an idiot!" Natalia was exasperated. "Tell me what SHIELD wants from me!"

"They want you!" Barton yelled back at her. "They want you imprisoned. Now would you please stop trying to hurt and intimidate me, because if it weren't for my sorry ass, you would be in a SHIELD holding facility right now. Don't even think for a moment that I didn't see what you were doing to yourself in Russia. I know that you didn't do what you did on your own free will." Barton sighed. "I'm trying to help you, don't you want to have a normal life, don't you want to have a chance to live?"

Natalia froze. Was this guy trying to help me? Does he pity me? If he does, then he thinks I am weak. He'll try to take advantage of me. Natalia twisted Barton's elbow, and he winced in pain. Natalia ran from the bar, looking for shelter. She couldn't let SHIELD get to her. If they did, they would try to use her as the Red Room had used her before.

***

Natalia had found an abandoned warehouse. she sat in the middle, and curled herself into a fetal position. Although she looked peaceful, the hand she was on top of had it's fingers curled around a Glock, while the other was being used as a makeshift pillow.


End file.
